Ads that respect your privacy

“There is nothing more important than keeping you safe online. Building products that are secure by default, private by design, and that give you control, is how we ensure that, every day, you’re safer with Google.”

— Jen Fitzpatrick,
Senior Vice President, Core Systems & Experiences at Google

Our commitment to

responsible advertising

Keeping the internet open, private, and safe is at the core of everything we do. We are committed to delivering ads responsibly. Here’s how Google’s privacy principles apply to ads:

We clearly label ads and sponsored content on our platforms and make it easy for you to understand why specific ads are shown, what information is used, and how you can control your Google ad experience.

For example, with Search, YouTube, and Discover, My Ad Center shows you what information is used for ads and makes it easy to manage that information so that the experience is right for you.
You’re in control of your information and how it’s used for advertising. Your activity on Google — such as sites you visit and things you’ve searched for — is used to deliver better, more helpful experiences across our products, including ads, based on your preferences.

My Ad Center allows you to customize your ad experiences on Google Search, Discover, and YouTube to see more of the brands and topics you like and less of the ones you don’t. You can also choose to reduce ads about certain sensitive ad topics, including alcohol, dating, gambling, pregnancy and parenting, and weight loss.

You can turn off ads personalization altogether and also permanently delete the activity data tied to your account at any time with the data and privacy settings.
We never use sensitive information like health, race, religion, or sexual orientation to tailor ads to you.

We never use the content you create and store in apps like Drive, Gmail, and Photos for ad purposes. And to further protect your privacy, we made auto-delete the default for our core activity settings. This means activity data tied to your account will be automatically and continuously deleted after 18 months, rather than kept until you choose to delete it.

We’re always looking for ways to keep children safer online, and do not allow ads personalization for children where we know that they are under 18.
Protecting your privacy and securing your data is core to Google’s work. That’s why all Google products are continuously protected by one of the world’s most advanced security infrastructures. This built-in security helps detect and prevent evolving online threats, including scams and attempts to obtain personal information through fraudulent ads, to help keep your information safe.

Additionally, to help keep you safe, we verify advertisers globally and work to detect bad actors and limit their attempts to misrepresent themselves. You can learn more by visiting our searchable hub of all ads served from verified advertisers with the Ads Transparency Center.
You should be able to enjoy your online experience without worrying about what personal information is collected, and by whom. That’s why teams across Google are collaborating with the wider industry to improve people’s privacy online. This includes implementing the Privacy Sandbox initiative and developing confidential computing
technologies that enable businesses to reach customers and measure the impact of their ad campaigns, while protecting user information.

Your ads, your choice

Easily customize the ads you see on Google Search and YouTube — and control the info used to personalize them.

Go to Ad Settings

Ads transparency for a safe and open internet

Frequently asked questions about ads & data

What data does Google use for ads?

We use your activity on Google — like sites you visit, apps you use, and things you’ve searched for, and associated information like location — to deliver better, more helpful experiences across our products, including ads.

We never use sensitive information such as health, race, religion, or sexual orientation to tailor the ads you see. And we don’t use data from Drive, Gmail, and Photos for ads, either.

You can control what information is used to personalize ads and manage your ads preferences with My Ad Center.

Why does Google use my information for advertising?

Google uses your information to show you ads that we think are relevant to your interests based on your activities or help you discover something new.

For example, if you’re researching new cars, it’s more useful to see ads featuring promotions from local car dealers than to see generic ads for balcony furniture or pet food.

You're always in control of your data with easy-to-use privacy tools, and it’s always your choice to share information with Google and decide how it’s used for advertising.

Does Google read my emails or listen to my phone calls to show me ads?

No. Your emails and your conversations are personal and private. We never show you ads based on what you write in your emails, what you say over the phone, or what you store in services like Google Drive.

Does Google sell my information to advertisers?

No.
We never sell your personal information to anyone.

Can I turn off personalized ads completely?

Yes. You can visit My Ad Center to update your preferences or turn off ads personalization.
If you choose not to see personalized ads, you’ll still see ads, but they will be less relevant.